Jayhawks Welcome Cyclones To Allen Fieldhouse Saturday

The Kansas Jayhawks welcome the Iowa State Cyclones to Allen Fieldhouse for a Saturday evening match-up to open the February portion of their schedule. The Jayhawks enter the contest sporting a 12-8 overall mark and a 1-6 Big 12 record. The Cyclones arrive in Lawrence with a 13-6 overall record and a 2-4 ledger in conference action. Game time is slated for 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.

FAST BREAKS

-Kansas freshman Krysten Boogaard turned in a another solid performance in KU’s last outing versus #10/11 Oklahoma. Boogaard tallied a team-high eight rebounds to go along with 11 points and a career-best four blocks. She also recorded two assists and one steal in the game.

-KU will be facing a Big 12 North opponent for the first time in three games when it hosts Iowa State on Saturday. The Jayhawks’ last two opponents each hailed from the Big 12 South in Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

-Kansas held OU All-American Courtney Paris to just 4-of-11 shooting from the field in its last outing. Paris, who ranks near the top of the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 52.0 percent per game, was held to just 36.3 percent for the game by the Kansas bigs.

-Kansas freshman forward Nicollette Smith will celebrate her birthday on Saturday, Feb. 2, when the Jayhawks host Iowa State. Smith, the youngest player on the KU roster, will be turning 19.

A LOOK AT IOWA STATE

The Cyclones are 13-6 on the season, including a a 2-4 mark Big 12 games. Iowa State is 2-4 in road games entering Saturday’s contest, including a 1-2 mark on the road in conference play. ISU is led on the season by sophomore guard Alison Lacey with 13.5 points per game. Lacey, who also leads the Cyclones in assists with 83 on the season, has knocked down 51 three-point baskets. She shoots a team-best 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Kelsey Bolte is also in double figures in points with 10.7 per game, while pulling down 5.1 rebounds an outing. She is one of three Cyclones averaging five or more boards per game. Junior guard Heather Ezell turns in 9.9 points per game, while sophomore guard Denae Stuckey pulls down 5.2 rebounds to go along with her 4.7 points. The Cyclones shoot 38.2 percent from the three-point line as a team and have knocked down 152 threes on the season, compared to just 115 for their opponents. Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly is 272-125 in his 13th season in Ames. His overall coaching mark is 438-178 in his 20th season in the business.

KANSAS-IOWA STATE SERIES HISTORY

The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 40-22, including a 21-7 lead in games played in Lawrence. Iowa State is currently on a two-game winning streak in the all-time series. KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson is 3-4 versus ISU, including an 1-2 mark in games played in Lawrence.

A LOOK AT KANSAS

Kansas enters Saturday’s contest with a 12-8 overall mark, including a 1-6 Big 12 Conference record after falling to back-to-back nationally ranked opponents in #10 Oklahoma and #20 Texas A&M. Sophomore guard/forward Danielle McCray is the top Jayhawk in scoring (14.6) and rebounding (7.4). McCray ranks in the top 10 in the Big 12 in both categories. Fellow sophomore guard Sade Morris is also in double figures in points per game with 11.3 tallies an outing. Morris also gives KU 4.1 boards and 2.6 assists per game. Freshman center Krysten Boogaard was inserted into the starting line-up after the team returned from its holiday break and ranks third on the team in scoring with 8.3 points a game to go along with 4.8 caroms per contest. Boogaard also leads the Jayhawks in blocks with 21 on the season. Senior forward Taylor McIntosh is second on the team in rebounding with 6.9 boards per game, while also dropping in 7.4 points. McIntosh is the team leader in field goal percentage as she connects on 52.5 percent of her shots. Junior point guard Ivana Catic is the team-leader in assists with 3.7 dishes per game, while also leading the Jayhawks in steals with 33 pilfers on the year. Freshman forward Nicollette Smith comes off the bench to provide 6.2 points per game and leads KU with 31 triples on the season. The Jayhawks are coached by Bonnie Henrickson who owns a 52-57 mark in her fourth season at the helm of the Kansas program. Henrickson owns an overall coaching mark of 210-119 in 11 seasons on the sideline.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

-Kansas has one player on its roster from the state of Iowa in senior forward Jamie Boyd (Underwood). Iowa State has one native Kansan on its roster in sophomore guard Denae Stuckey (Kansas City, Kan.), while fellow ISU sophomore guard Anna Florzak is from Kansas City, Mo.

-ISU sophomore guard Denae Stuckey is the younger sister of KU sophomore football player Darrell Stuckey. Darrell Stuckey, who picked up All-Big 12 honors after helping lead the Jayhawks to a win in the 2008 Orange Bowl and a 12-1 mark this season, and his sister both attended Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan.